


Nightmare

by NervaTraian



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: A little bit of angst, Bottom Evan "Buck" Buckley, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hurt, M/M, Major Character Injury, Nightmares, Post-Grocery Store Fight, Top Eddie Diaz, but there's not a lot of sex in this, lawsuit, no beta - we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-05-06
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:47:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,395
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24040798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervaTraian/pseuds/NervaTraian
Summary: It all starts with Eddie having a nightmare in the middle of the night. He calls Buck and despite the fact that they're not allowed to talk because of the ongoing lawsuit, Buck still comes.[Warnings in End Notes]
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Evan “Buck” Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 318





	Nightmare

_The hot sun was beating down on Eddie's neck. He was sitting behind a half collapsed wall trying to save a man's life. He could hear the bullets hit the wall or the sand around him. But he kept ignoring it. The faceless man on the ground needed his help, he had to ignore the war around him. Eddie pushed a cloth down on the man's arm. There was a cut that wouldn't stop bleeding._

_"Eddie, please!" The man begged him and that was Buck's voice._

_"You're not supposed to be here," Eddie said._

_And he was right, suddenly Buck started throwing up blood. This couldn't happen again._

_"Buck!" Eddie yelled. But Buck seemed to slip out of his grip._

_Then suddenly they weren't surrounded by sand anymore. Eddie recognized the field hospital from the tsunami. He looked around trying to find Buck._

_Eddie could hear Christopher cry. Why? He turned around and saw them._

_Buck was lying on the ground next to countless other dead bodies, his own body half covered by a black sheet. Christopher's fist were gripping onto Buck's shirt, while sobs were tearing through his small body. Then Eddie was right there next to them. Buck's dead blue eyes starring into nothingness._

_Christopher looked up at him and there was so much hate and resentment in his face. Eddie had never seen him look like this. "This is your fault!"_

Then Eddie woke up. He was covered in sweat and breathing hard. He slowly touched his face and it was wet from tears and sweat. Without giving it a second thought he grabbed his phone from his nightstand and called Buck. He just had to know that Buck was okay.

After only two rings, Buck picked up.

 _"Eddie? Are you okay?"_ Buck sounded so worried. God, he was just too good for Eddie.

"Yes. Christopher and I are fine." Eddie still sounded a little shaky. That was Buck's voice on the other end. Buck was fine.

_"Okay ... I mean I'm happy you called, but it's 4am. So why are you calling?"_

That was a good question. The lawsuit was still ongoing, technically he wasn't even allowed to call Buck. And then after everything that happened today in the grocery store.

 _"This is your fault!"_ his son's voice echoed inside his head.

"I'm sorry, Buck. You're not selfish."

Buck seemed to be stunned by that. Did Eddie already screw up so badly?

"Can you come over? I know it's in the middle of the night and I'm not even supposed to call you, but I just ..." Eddie didn't know how to finish that sentence.

_"Yeah, sure. I'm gonna be there in 10." Buck said and hung up._

Eddie stood up and changed quickly into fresh sweatpants that weren't soaked with sweat. He then checked on Christopher who was sleeping peacefully for once.

Like promised Buck gently knocked on the front door after 10 minutes. He could have used his key, but it spoke volumes that he didn't. Eddie had to fix that. He gently led Buck to his bedroom, the living room was closer to Christopher's room and he didn't want to wake him up.

After Eddie closed the door behind them, Buck started talking. "So what's going on?" Then he looked closer at Eddie in the somewhat dim light from Eddie's bedside lamp. "Did you cry?"

"It doesn't matter." Eddie mumbled.

Buck looked heartbroken. "I'm sorry, Eddie. This is my fault. I shouldn't have-"

Eddie shook his head. "Chris has nightmares."

Buck looked a little taken back by that. "Of the tsunami?"

Eddie nodded. "Yeah, some nights he screams for you."

"Eddie, I know I should have been here." Why does Buck keep thinking this his fault? Oh right, because that's what Eddie basically told him in the grocery store.

"This isn't your fault. I didn't tell you about it. He's seeing a therapist, but he still doesn't talk about it. But why would he? It's not like I'm a good rolemodel for talking about your feelings."

"Eddie," Buck whispered softly and wiped away a tear from Eddie's cheek. But he didn't drop his hand afterwards.

"The whole 'swallow it down and move on'-thing is shit. I don't want him to be like that. I'd rather he turns out like you."

"Me?" Buck seemed surprised and actually dropped his hand now.

"I was wrong about the lawsuit. You had every right to file it and it's not your fault that I pushed you away. I'm sorry I was so angry."

"But why were you so angry? Why didn't you understand?"

"Because I don't want you to get hurt again? Because I don't know what I would do if we lose you. Christopher just lost his mother, he can't lose his Buck too. And you just kept saying you had to get back, that you didn't have anything else and I was so angry at you for saying that, because we're right here! I'm right here! And I love you and why am I not enough for you?"

"You love me?"

Only then Eddie realized what he had just said. But he wouldn't take it back, because it was the truth. Because somewhere along the line he fell in love with his best friend. Because Buck was one of the most important people in his life second only to his son. His son, who loved Buck. His son, who Buck had saved. But instead of saying all that Eddie just nodded.

Eddie didn't know what was gonna happen next. He just hoped Buck wouldn't leave them. But then Buck started to grin. It was a kinda cheeky carefree grin. Buck looked happier than he had looked in the past few months and Eddie wanted nothing more than to kiss him silly.

So he did.

The first time their lips met was sweet and soft, but then their kisses got hungrier. Buck pulled on Eddie's shirt, while Eddie grabbed Buck's ass. They fell onto Eddie's bed and Eddie could feel Buck smile. For just a little bit he pulled away from Buck's lips to get his shirt off. He looked down on Buck, who looked at him with so much love in his eyes.

"I love you, too, Eddie." he whispered. "And you're more than enough, you're everything I want."

Eddie leaned down and kissed him again and again, while they got rid of their clothes.

Grabbing at each other with the desperation of drowning men. Eddie pushed Buck gently down into the pillows, hands roaming over soft skin, reaching the scar tissue on Buck's leg. His leg flinched when the raised skin was touched.

"Does it hurt?"

"No." Buck didn't look at him. "You can just ignore it, I know the scars are ugly."

Eddie gently turned Buck's head, so their eyes met. "There's nothing about you that's ugly."

He crawled down, kissing Buck's scars to prove it.

He took Buck into his mouth, while stretching him for what was to come.

Buck moaned when Eddie entered him. Eddie's name on his lips when he came.

Eddie cleaned them up afterwards, before lying down again. Arms slung across Buck's torso and Buck's scent surrounding him.

~

The next morning Buck woke up naked next to his best friend. He couldn't help but smile. He had loved Eddie for so long, he really hoped this meant they were together now.

Before Buck could wake Eddie, the bedroom door opened and Christopher walked into the room. The moment the boy saw Buck his eyes light up.

"Bucky!" he yelled, successfully waking up his dad. The boy half walked, half fell over to the bed.

Buck quickly hugged him and then ruffled his hair. "Hey, buddy."

"Are you gonna stay for breakfast?"

"Yeah, I just have to get up and ready."

"Christopher, why don't you get dressed as well and then we can all have breakfast together," Eddie mumbled from behind Buck.

Christopher nodded enthusiastically and quickly walked out of the room. As soon as he had left Eddie got up and started the shower.

"Come on, Buck. We don't wanna keep Chris waiting," Eddie called.

After a quick shower and a couple of quick kisses, Buck, dressed in Eddie's clothes, and Eddie were getting breakfast ready.

"Buck, can you check on Christopher? See if he needs any help?" Eddie asked and Buck nodded.

He was halfway out the door when he stopped and turned around. "Are we dating now?"

Eddie looked up surprised. "Yeah, well, I thought so, but I guess only if you want to?" Buck had never heard Eddie sound so unsure of himself, so he smiled a big goofy smile.

"I would love to."

Eddie now returned his grin. "Me too."

Buck then walked with an even bigger smile over to Christopher's room. He was just putting on his socks. So Buck gently knocked and asked if he needed some help. Chris shook his head.

"Bucky?" 

"Yeah, buddy?" Buck sat down on the floor right in front of Chris, he didn't like to stand next to Chris when talking to him. He didn't want the child to ever feel scared or intimidated because of him.

"I really missed you," he almost whispered.

"Hey, it's okay. I really missed you, too. I'm sorry that I had to stay away from you and your dad for awhile. That's gonna change now, I promise."

Christopher quickly hugged Buck, before letting Buck help him up. Together they went to the dinning room, where Eddie was already waiting for them.

~

Later that same day Eddie had to go to work and Christopher had to go to school. So Buck decided to visit his lawyer.

"What?" Buck's lawyer stared at him with wide eyes.

"I wanna drop the case," Buck repeated.

His lawyer blinked slowly, clearly still processing what Buck had just said. "You realize that we basically already won this? Didn't you want your job back?"

"Yeah, I do. But I didn't realize how much this lawsuit was hurting the people I love."

"No station will want you after this."

"I know that Bobby is probably still pissed, but we're close I'm sure he will forgive me and take me back. But I can't mend things over if I'm not even allowed to talk to him."

"In my professional opinion: this is a huge mistake," the lawyer now glared at Buck, who just shrugged.

"But it's my decision," with those words Buck left the building.

When he was about to get in his car, he got a call from Eddie. Buck answered with a smile.

"Hey, Eds."

_"Hey, I have to ask you for a favor."_

"Sure, what is it?"

_"Carla just called me, she has a family emergency and can't pick up Christopher."_

"Say no more- of course I can pick him up."

_"Thank God, you're a lifesaver. He has to be picked up in 20 minutes and I know that is impossible to make from your apartment so-"_

"Oh it's fine, I'm not at my apartment, I'm at my lawyer's office. 20 minutes should be doable from here."

_"Wait. What are you doing there?"_

"I just dropped the lawsuit."

Eddie didn't answer.

"Eddie?"

_"Why did you drop the lawsuit? Buck, what about your job?"_

"It's gonna be fine. There are more important things in my life than my job."

_"Buck, did you actually think this over?"_

"Yeah, I did and I'm actually sure of this decision. I'm not gonna stay away from you and Christopher anymore."

Eddie paused for a second before answering. _"Okay, if that's your decision I support you."_

"I gotta go now, don't wanna make the little man wait."

_"Yeah, I see you tonight night then. Bye, Buck."_

"Bye, Eddie. Love you," Buck hung up, before Eddie could reply.

He arrived 5 minutes early at the school. So he just spent the remaining time in his car. As soon as the bell rang Buck went to the front door, where already a couple of other parents were waiting. After that he didn't have to wait long for Christopher to come out of the building and spot him.

"Buck!" Christopher yelled. 

"Hey, buddy," Buck said while strolling over to the boy. Buck leaned down and gave Christopher a big hug. But when Buck wanted to get up again, Chris wouldn't let go, so Buck just picked him up.

Chris giggled happily, his arms still around Buck's neck.

"Okay, little monkey. How about you give me those crutches before you take someone's eye out," Buck laughed and gently took the crutches in one hand while still holding Christopher up with his other.

Buck carried Chris to the car, while the boy told Buck all about his day.

~

That evening Eddie came home to laughter and a freshly cooked meal. Sitting at a table together with Christopher and Buck felt like actually being a family. 

After they brought Chris to bed, Buck went to leave but Eddie took his hand and told him to stay.

The next morning Christopher was overjoyed that Buck and Eddie dropped him off at school. And shortly after that Eddie had to head to work while Buck went to see his sister.

When Eddie walked into the station he was still so cheerful from spending time with Buck and the knowledge that this was how it would be like from now on.

"Someone's happy," Hen said when Eddie walked up the stairs to the loft.

For a second Eddie hesitated he wasn't sure if he should tell the team that he was dating Buck. It wasn't like Eddie was ashamed of Buck, but they had only been dating for less than two days. Maybe he should wait until they had their first proper date. Christopher was having a sleepover at a friend's place this Saturday. Going out with Buck would also prevent him from worrying over his son the entire time.

"Hey, Diaz? Still there?" Chimney asked and Eddie realized he had just been staring at nothing for the last minute or so.

"Fine," he said with a smile. "Buck's actually dropped the lawsuit." He figure that was a good enough explanation for his good mood.

"What really?" Hen asked.

Eddie nodded.

"Wow," Chimney said. "What changed his mind?"

Eddie was about to give a vague answer, but then Bobby made himself heard. "The lawsuit is still going on."

"No, Buck told me so himself yesterday," Eddie argued. But doubt already crawled into his mind.

"Well, just this morning I got a call from the chief discussing the lawsuit. It clearly isn't over."

Did Buck lie to him? But why would he? Buck isn't a liar! Eddie started to doubt everything Buck ever told him until Hen cut in clearly seeing how distraught he was.

"Why don't you call him? You know ask him what's this all about."

That sounded reasonable enough. So Eddie went down to the locker room to call Buck in private.

It took Buck awhile to answer.

 _"Hey, Eddie!"_ Buck sounded as cheerful as ever. _"Sorry it took me so long to answer I was driving, just heading back from Maddie's."_

"You're not driving now, are you?" Eddie asked automatically anxious that Buck would get in an accident.

 _"No, I'm on the side of the road. You have my full attention."_ Eddie could swear he could hear Buck's goofy grin.

"That's good," then Eddie took a deep breath, hoping this phone call wouldn't end with a fight. "So ... Bobby said the lawsuit is still ongoing."

 _"What?!"_ Buck seemed genuinely surprised and Eddie should know, Buck was a shit actor.

"Yeah, he had a call this morning with the chief and apparently it's still going on."

 _"Eddie, I swear I told my lawyer to put an end to this. I don't know what's happening,"_ Buck sounded so genuine and sad that Eddie just had to believe him. For crying out loud Buck was his boyfriend he was supposed to be in Buck's corner. Just because he screwed up with Shannon didn't mean he would screw up with Buck.

"I believe you."

_"Thank you. I'm gonna figure out what's going on - promise."_

"Yeah, okay."

_"I see you later at your grandma's place."_

"Bye, Buck."

Buck hung up the phone and turned his car around. 

What the hell was his lawyer thinking? Buck wasn't even sure what to do. He really hoped this was just a big misunderstanding and the chief had just not yet been informed of the dropped lawsuit. If not ... Did he need to hire a lawyer to sue his lawyer?

Buck stormed into his lawyer's office.

"Did you end the lawsuit?" There was no point in talking around the topic.

"No," his lawyer said leaning back in his chair.

"Why? I asked you to. You're supposed to listen to me."

"Well, you already turned down the millions of dollars and after that I wasn't willing to give up on such an easy win."

Buck suddenly felt cold and helpless. The last time he had felt like that, he had been trapped underneath a fire truck. No way to escape.

"If you continue with the lawsuit I'm gonna sue you," Buck spit. Why did he feel so cornered?

His lawyer looked him up and down before pressing a button on his desk. "Could you please send in Craig? And you can take a break afterwards." He released the button. "You won't sue me. You will sit quietly while I'm gonna sue the department for even more money then what they offered you and I will take a little bit more than my usual fee," the lawyer explained to Buck.

"No," Buck insisted.

Then Craig entered the room. That man was big. He was a good bit taller than Buck and much wider in his shoulders and Buck was by no means a small man. Craig glared down at Buck. There was a scar on his cheek and he just looked intimidating.

Buck noticed out of the corner of his eyes how his lawyer nodded at Craig, before a fist crashed into Buck's face. Buck fell over from the pure shock of getting hit. This was his lawyer's office why would that guy even have access to a beater. The table Buck fell on broke. He already knew he would bruise from that fall.

Buck felt a hand pull on his shirt, pull him up. Then another punch to his face and another. Buck couldn't move it was just like all the other times.

"Stop," his lawyer's voice called.

Craig dropped Buck to the ground. Buck tried to breathe calmly, before sitting up. There was blood collecting in his mouth. He just wanted to puke. He could see his lawyer coming closer, crouching down right in front of him.

"You should do what I say, because Craig here will be watching over you and don't even think about telling anyone about this," the lawyer leaned forward and pulled something out of Buck's pocket. Only when the lawyer held the object in front of Buck's face did he recognize his phone.

"Wow, you don't even have a password. You're a trusting one," his lawyer laughed. "I'm gonna take your phone then. Don't get stupid ideas though. Craig will make sure you don't run to your boyfriend."

Buck looked up. How did that lawyer know about Eddie? "Don't hurt him," Buck whispered blood now running down his chin.

His lawyer made a disgusted face. "Don't worry as long as you don't try to talk to Mr. Diaz or his son or anyone else really, they won't get hurt. Are we clear?"

Buck nodded after a while, he already knew he had lost. He couldn't risk getting Eddie or even worse Christopher hurt. He had no idea what to do.

"Craig, get him home." Craig nodded before dragging Buck up from the ground.

The room was spinning and Buck barely remembered getting shoved into a car that definitely wasn't his. Craig basically threw him into his apartment and slammed the door shut after him leaving Buck alone in the dark. But Buck was not naive enough to believe that Craig had gone home.

Buck kept lying on the floor. He could hear his blood drip from his face to the ground. He should stop the bleeding, especially with the bloodthinners. But he didn't have the energy.He realized how dark it already was. Wasn't he supposed to be somewhere? It seemed hard to remember at the moment. Then his mind drifted off to Eddie. Eddie who was strong and beautiful and who Buck really wanted to see right now. Eddie would know what to do. Right, now he remembered. He was supposed to be at Eddie's abuela's place. Damn he had told Christopher just this morning he would come. He felt terrible not just because the kid would be disappointed but also because of the bruises covering his back and the blood dripping out his nose, but worst of all he felt so terribly lonely. He hadn't felt like this in a long time. He couldn't even stop the tears streaming down his face. And right there on the cold hard floor Buck fell asleep, dreaming of blood and cold pavement.

~

Eddie had already put Christopher to bed when he decided to call Buck. Over the course of the evening he had gotten increasingly anxious. The feeling of getting to his grandmother's place just for her to tell him that Buck never showed up was bad enough. But Buck had told him he had to figure out the lawsuit situation and it wouldn't be surprising if that took longer than expected. But Buck hadn't shown and he hadn't replied to a single text. Of course if he was really busy maybe he didn't have time to reply or maybe he had his phone on silent mode again. Eddie really hoped that was the case.

The phone rang three times before he was send to voicemail. Odd. Eddie send him another text.

_To Buck: Please pick up_

_To Buck: I'm worried about you_

Eddie was about to call again, when he finally got an answer.

_From Buck: Stop calling me. We're not supposed to talk during the lawsuit._

Eddie froze. What was going on? Buck went to get that lawsuit dropped.

_To Buck: Buck what are you talking about? You said you would drop the lawsuit. What about us and Christopher?_

Eddie knew using his own son was a low blow. Buck would do anything for that kid, had already given everything for him. But Eddie felt uneasy about Buck's text. It was so out-of-character for Buck. But maybe Eddie just tried to tell himself that to make the reality of everything more bearable.

_From Buck: I don't care._

Now Eddie wasn't so sure if he was really making things up. Buck would never say that he didn't care about Christopher.

_To Buck: What about our relationship?_

_From Buck: I wasn't serious about that. You were decent in bed but that's all there was to it really._

Buck not being serious about anything was a huge red flag. This was Buck, he poured his heart and soul into everything he did. But Eddie had to make sure that it really wasn't Buck texting him. 

What would only he and Buck know about it? Eddie's fingers hovered over his phone's display. He knew what.

_To Buck: Really? Decent? That sounded very different when you sucked me off_

Eddie waited for a text. Buck never gave him a blowjob. That would be a thing only he and Buck would know. So if Buck didn't point that out, he knew that it wasn't Buck sending him these text.

_From Buck: I can play it up_

It wasn't Buck. So who took his phone? And where was Buck?

Eddie called Maddie. Maybe he was save with her? He could only hope.

"Maddie, it's Eddie. Do you know where Buck is?"

_"Ehm, isn't he supposed to be with you?"_

Shit. What now?

_"Is something wrong?" Maddie sounded worried._

"I don't know where he is. He never showed up at abuela's."

 _"Have you tried calling him?"_ Did Maddie think he was stupid?

"I don't think Buck is the one answering."

 _"Eddie, what is that supposed to mean!?"_ the rising panic in Maddie's voice was clear to hear.

"I tried to call him but he didn't pick up so I texted him and I'm certain it wasn't Buck who answered. The text said that Buck picked up the lawsuit again, that he didn't care about me or Christopher."

_"That really doesn't sound like him. He told me earlier when he was with me that he had dropped the lawsuit. He seemed really happy."_

"Yeah, he told me the same thing. But Bobby said that the lawsuit was still going on, so I called Buck and he wanted to head over there."

_"Wait, that's the last place he's been to? The lawyer he told to drop the lawsuit and who then didn't."_

"I'm gonna head over to Buck's place."

_"Eddie, don't. It could be dangerous."_

"I don't care. I'm gonna go. I'll call you later," Eddie hung up before Maddie could try to talk him out of it.

He quickly told Isabel that he would go check on Buck and that she shouldn't wait up. Then he made his way to Buck's apartment.

From the outside Eddie couldn't see a light on, but maybe he had just went to bed early. Buck just had to be here. Eddie didn't know what he would do if Buck wasn't.

So he knocked.

After a minute Eddie knocked again, louder this time. After another minute Eddie could hear some movement from the other side.

"Buck! Please open the door!" Eddie yelled.

He could hear steps behind the door and then Buck's voice. "Please, leave."

Eddie was so taken aback by that that he actually to a step back from the door. He caught himself quickly. "Buck, I'm worried about you. You didn't show up at abuela's and I know you don't have your phone on you."

"Eddie, you have to go. I'm fine," but Buck didn't sound fine. Even through the door Eddie could hear roughness in his voice as if he had been crying.

"I know you're not. Please let me in. I just wanna make sure you're okay," Eddie begged.

He could hear something through the door that sounded like a sob. Eddie really wished he could comfort Buck now.

"You have to go," Buck repeated.

"I'm not going until I see you're alright," Eddie insisted.

Then it was quite for a little bit. "You will go after you see me?"

"If that's what you want."

Finally Buck unlocked the door.

The door opened just a little bit and Eddie could finally see Buck. He was only relieved for a second. Then it felt like his heart stopped. Buck's face was covered in blood and there was a fist shaped bruise.

"Who did that?" Eddie barely recognized his own voice. Since returning from war he had never felt so much like a soldier like in this moment. All he could think about in this moment was how somebody did this to Buck and how they had to pay.

But Buck shook his head, his eyes wide open with fear. "You should go now."

"No."

"Eddie, please, they will hurt you or Christopher if you don't."

"What?" Eddie was confused. He didn't have anything to do with Buck's lawsuit. But someone who would hit Buck would certainly also scoop so low as to threaten a child.

Eddie looked into Buck's eyes. He cupped Buck's cheek with his hand so gently he probably barely felt it. "I'll protect us."

Buck's eyes went even wider and some more tears escaped his eyes. "Please, help me," he whispered.

Eddie smiled softly at him. "Of course. I love you."

"I love you, too," Buck said back.

Eddie stepped inside with Buck and placed him on the couch, for now ignoring the blood on the floor. He had some phone calls to make. He first called Isabel telling her to get Christopher and drive to Athena's. He only hung up when they were both in the car and on their way. Then he called Athena letting her know they would come. Then calling Maddie telling her he found Buck and that she should go to Athena's place, they would meet there. After he hung up. He turned to Buck who seemed half asleep. He gently shook his shoulder and explained they had to go to Athena's place.

Eddie was just about to help Buck up, when he saw something from the corner of his eyes. He quickly whipped around. There was a giant man in Buck's apartment glaring at the two of them. Eddie already had a pretty good guess who that was.

"Is that him?" Eddie asked Buck, not taking his eyes of the giant.

"Yeah, that's Craig. He works for my lawyer," Buck sounded scared.

Eddie would make Craig pay for that.

Craig seemed to growl at Eddie before jumping forward.

He swung his fist aiming for Eddie's head, but Eddie ducked down in the right moment.

Eddie came back up and swung his own fist into Craig's face. He could feel something give under his knuckles and a cracking noise echoed through the apartment. Eddie knew how to break a guy's nose. But he wouldn't stop there.

While Craig was distracted from the blood coming out of his nose, Eddie tackled him to the ground. He pinned Craig down, but he resisted and managed to throw Eddie off. He crashed right into Buck's coffee table. He tried to brace himself but his head connected painfully with one of the corners making him a dizzy for a moment.

That gave Craig just enough time to walk over and lift Eddie up.

'Hell no!' Eddie thought and twisted in Craig's grip. He rammed his leg up successfully kneeing Craig in the face, who then dropped Eddie.

Eddie had really thought that he was closer to the ground. He fell uncomfortably on his back, the impact stealing his breath for a second.

Eddie tried to look around grab a sense of the situation. He saw Buck against the wall Eddie's phone pressed to his ear. He was crying. Just the sight of Buck like that broke Eddie's heart.

But he had to turn away - look for Craig, because they weren't save yet.

Craig was just a few steps away already getting ready for the next round.

Eddie got up and waited for Craig to make his first move. He ran up to Eddie, going for another hit to the head. Eddie duck again, but before he could come back up again, Craig kicked him in the side. Eddie lost his footing for a couple precious seconds. Craig took him and threw him, before Eddie could do anything else. He tried to brace himself, but he still crashed into Buck's tv, taking it down with him.

Eddie could hear heavy steps behind him and then Buck yelling something. He tried to get up, but his back hurt so much. Buck stopped yelling.

Eddie's head whipped around. Craig was holding Buck up, hands tight around Buck's neck. Buck was trying to kick or hit him, but nothing worked.

Eddie jumped up and ripped Craig away from Buck. Buck fell to the ground with a heavy sound, but his eyes were still open, looking around wildly.

Eddie kicked Craig right in his stomach, than a fist to the face, another kick this time to the chest making him fall to the ground again. Eddie was back on him in the blink of an eye, hitting Craig again and again until there was a hand on his shoulder.

He looked up and it was Buck looking down on him.

"It's over," Buck whispered, his voice sounding rough.

Eddie looked down on the bloody mess that was Craig's face. He wasn't moving anymore. His chest still rose and fell.

Buck's hand gently turned his face back. "We're safe now. Help is on the way."

Eddie felt himself nod. He could already hear sirens.

Police officers came onto the scene and then Bobby was in front of them. How? Right, the others had a shift tonight.

Bobby asked if he was okay. Hen then shined a light into his eyes. Eddie looked over to his side and Buck was right beside him. And when had they gotten to the ambulance? Everything was a little bit fuzzy. But Chimney was at least checking over Buck.

"Eddie, can you tell me where you're hurt?" Hen asked, trying to get his focus from Buck on her.

Eddie blinked slowly. "Head, bumped it on the table. Back and face," Eddie's speech was slightly muffled. But Hen nodded, she seemed to understand him fine.

"You probably have a concussion," she mumbled, but Eddie was barely listening.

Eddie looked over to Buck who was looking at Eddie.

"Are you okay?" Buck asked his voice full of worry.

Eddie smiled reassuringly. "I'm gonna be fine."

Buck nodded. "Okay."

All the tension seemed to seep out of Buck's body. Eddie was painfully reminded of the tsunami again. As soon as Buck knew that Christopher was safe he had collapsed. In that moment Buck's eyes turned back into his head and he fell over. Two pairs of hands grabbed him hoisting him up on the gurney.

"What just happened there?" Chimney asked from the driver's seat.

"Buck just lost consciousness," Hen yelled already pressing fingers against Buck's neck. "He has a pulse."

Hen quickly pulled out the heart monitor. Eddie looked for scissors and cut open Buck's shirt so Hen could attach the wires. The quiet beeping started and - shit - it wasn't good.

"His pulse is erratic," Hen yelled to the front, eyes fixed on the monitor.

Eddie felt for Buck's hand and squeezed it. Looking up at Buck's face - still covered with dried blood. He had to be fine.

"No wait, his pulse is getting more stable," Hen now said, breathing out in relief.

"Hen!" Eddie yelled. Because now there was blood coming out of Buck's mouth.

This couldn't happen again. He couldn't lose Buck not like this, not ever. For the first time in a long time he prayed.

Hen whipped around, saw the blood. "Shit."

"We're at the hospital in 3 minutes," Chimney yelled.

Hen quickly went to work, feeling over Buck's torso to find out where the bleeding is coming from. But she couldn't find it.

Eddie had Buck's hand in a vice grip. "Please, Buck," he mumbled. "Don't leave me."

Hen halted for a second. How was Eddie so in love with Buck without realizing it? She shook her head to let go of that though. She had to concentrate and save Buck's life. She couldn't feel anything in Buck's torso, so what else could it be. Not another embolism, not with the bloodthinners. Maybe ... Hen leaned over Buck's face opening his mouth.

"You will be the death of me, Buckaroo," she mumbled, shaking her head.

"What is it?" Eddie asked.

"Help me turn him on his side," Hen said to Eddie.

Together they did just that. While Hen put in an IV to give the boy some fluids back, Eddie was still frantic. "Hen!"

She rolled her eyes. "Your man's gonna be fine. He bit his tongue."

Eddie looked up at her with wide eyes, while Chimney laughed in the front seat.

Hen smiled reassuringly at him and Eddie smiled back. "He's gonna be just fine," she said again.

"Yeah," Eddie replied. Because Buck could make it through anything.

"So are you gonna tell him then?" Hen asked.

"What am I supposed to tell who?" Eddie had no clue what Hen was talking about.

"You should really tell Buck how you feel about him."

"Yeah, you just fought off a guy for him. He's definitely gonna say yes to a date," Chimney chimed in.

Eddie blushed. "Ehm ... Buck and I have started dating two days ago."

Hen stared at him with wide eyes, before grinning like she just won the lottery. "That's why you were so happy this morning!"

Eddie didn't really reply he only looked down at Buck and smiled and that was answer enough.

~

It didn't take too long after they arrived at the hospital for the others to show up.

"You two have some explaining to do," Athena said when she got into the room. She was wearing pajamas.

"Yeah, what happened to you?" Maddie asked and pointed at their injuries.

Buck looked at the ground nervously, then over to Christopher, who was trying to climb up on Buck's bed. They had tried to give Eddie his own room, but he refused. So they gave them a room with two beds, but Eddie got up the minute the nurse left the room to sit beside Buck and now he helped his son up.

"You okay?" Christopher asked.

Buck nodded.

Hen snorted. "Yeah, little man, your father and Buck are more than fine."

Chim and her exchanged meaningful glances. Leaving everyone else confused. Except for Eddie, who groaned loudly.

"What are they talking about?" Buck asked Eddie.

Chim grinned. "Well, lover boy, we're talking about you and Eddie being a Thing."

"And that's Thing with a capital 'T'," Hen laughed.

Buck instantly blushed. "You told them?"

Eddie helplessly shrugged.

"Wait, since when is that going on?" Bobby asked.

"It's pretty new," Buck blushed.

Eddie looked around the room. For some reason only Bobby seemed surprised.

"Why are you not surprised?" Eddie asked Athena, Maddie and Isabel.

"Your boy told me and Maddie the moment he stepped into my house," Athena said.

"He also told me when I picked him up today," Isabel added.

Eddie looked over to his son, who looked way to pleased with himself. "Chris, who else did you tell about me and Buck?"

Chris seemed to think about that for a second, before answering. "I told my teacher and my friends at school and abuela and the mailman and the nurse at the front desk and ... I think that's everyone."

"Is there anyone on the city you didn't tell?" Buck asked.

Christopher just shrugged. "Was I not supposed to tell?"

Eddie smiled at his son. "No, it's okay. Don't worry."

**Author's Note:**

> Warnings: Violence


End file.
